MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE ANCHORAGE PARKS & RECREATION Memorandum PRC 08-56 DATE: 5 August 2008 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Parks & Recreation Commission Holly Spoth-Torres, Park Planner PRC 08-56 Far North Bicentennial Park Trails Study Update Project Scope Far North Bicentennial Park is Anchorage s largest park, providing year-round outdoor recreation opportunities for the entire community. The park is home to the Hilltop Downhill Ski area, the Alaska Botanical Garden, over 100 miles of trails and important connections to Chugach State Park. The park has over 1 million visitors each year, contributing to the social, economic and ecological well being of Anchorage. As trail use increases, trail maintenance needs increase. Trail user conflicts, both in winter and in summer, also continue to increase. During the Far North Bicentennial Park Trail Improvement project, all trails will be evaluated to determine their condition and current use. Critical missing trail links and trail amenities will be identified. Trail standards, classifications and trail crew specifications will be developed. The plan will evaluate the need for trailhead and parking upgrades, increased wayfinding and interpretive signage, and other public amenities to enhance the park as a four-season recreation facility. The outcome will be a comprehensive and strategic trail project list endorsed by the trail community. Goals for this project include: Maintain an undeveloped and rural feel within the park; Accommodate all types of non-motorized users; Provide a wide variety of experiences, via many different types of trails; Provide opportunities for bicycle and other commuters to efficiently pass through the park; Respect wildlife and known or discovered wildlife corridors; Create a set of construction and maintenance guidelines, allowing the Muni to manage these activities (regardless of who does the actual work); Gather information on existing trail conditions, to determine how those trails should be managed into the future; Determine funding sources for future management, including construction and maintenance; Create a general plan for additional trails within the park; and Establish a framework which can be applied to trails throughout the Muni s jurisdiction. Project Progress to Date Project Scoping: January 2008 The project team gathered baseline information and conducted extensive stakeholder meetings with various trail user groups, adjacent landowners and citizens. A citizen steering committee was formed and met for the first time. Public Comment and review of Project Scoping Summary: March 2008 The project team compiled all information collected in January and presented this information back to the public for review and comment. Additional ideas and comments were received and incorporated.
For detailed project scoping and stakeholder interview notes as well as a trail map that summarizes these concepts, please visit http://www.muni.org/parks/fnbptrailsplandocs.cfm Field Work, Trail Condition Assessment, June August, 2008 P&R hired a summer intern to collect field data on the exiting trail conditions within FNBP. A brief summary of this process is attached, outlining the process used this summer to collect field data. Upcoming Project Schedule Field Data Analysis: August 15 September 1, 2008 Presentation of Draft Trail Improvement for FNBP, September 8, 2008 as part of the FNBP User Group Meeting. The project team will present the following: Draft Trail Improvement Plan Proposed Physical Network of Trails Trail Classification for each trail CIP List of Trail Projects This plan will apply a trail classification to all trails within the park ensuring there are safe and diverse trail routes and experiences for all types of trail users. Where existing trail conditions (assessed from the field work) do not meet the trail classification applied to that trail in the trail plan, a trail project surfaces. Presentation of final FNBP Trail Plan, Spring 2009 New Municipal Trail Data for FNBP, Spring 2009: Transfer new data structure to Municipal GIS system for public utilization
Far North Bicentennial Park Trail Improvement Plan Summer 2008 Holly Spoth-Torres and Joanna Spoth
Summer Goals Determine an effective way to collect trail data. Assess Assess all trails in FNBP. Make Make collected data functional for P&R staff and available to the Municipal GIS.
Our Collection Strategy Based on the existing U.S. Forest Service TRACS Model and customized for local needs Trail Assessment & Condition Surveys Written Field Notes Handheld Nomad Trimble GPS Unit Bear Bear Spray
Features Collected in the Field Drainage Structures Ditch, culvert Concern Points Wet, braiding, ruts Route Markers and Signs Regulatory, boundary Trail Structures Overlook, boardwalk Trailside Structures Light pole, bench Trail Obstacles Root, boulder, gate [_ po
An Example Adding a drainage structure to our data Highlighted blue square right of the dialogue box is where future e drainage structure will go. Dialogue Dialogue box shows pick lists and conditions noted while in the field i.e. what type of drainage structure, material, photo. Drainage Drainage Structure feature will then retain all those characteristics that can then be refined in the office.
Our Progress Majority of trails on park land have been assessed and processed. [_ po [_ po po po po [_ po po [_[_[_[_[_[_[_ po po po po [_ po po po [_ po po po po [_
So What? Provides Parks & Recreation with an accurate inventory of all trails within FNBP. Identifies and prioritizes specific trails and projects for annual maintenance, deferred maintenance, and capital improvements. Will aid in making future decisions concerning FNBP trails. Will provide an updated trail GIS dataset for the public and a framework to assess all trails within the Anchorage Bowl.